Pakistan’s anti-terror court on Thursday extended Imran Khan’s provisional bail in three cases until May 4
Posted on – Thu, 4/13/23 at 11:59pm
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Lahore: A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Thursday extended Imran Khan’s provisional bail until May 4 in three cases involving clashes between his supporters and police during the arrest last month of former Prime Minister Toshakhana in a corruption case.
The Anti-Terrorism Tribunal (ATC) in Lahore granted Pakistan Justice Instigation (PTI) Chairman Khan a one-time hearing in the case via video link.
Khan has lodged bail applications with the three FIRs registered with the Racecourse Police under anti-terrorism laws.
Khan, 70, has repeatedly claimed that his life was threatened, so he abstained from the court hearing.
ATC judge Ejaz Ahmad Bhutta asked Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar what he had done
life-threatening.
To that, Safdar said those behind the shooting of his client (last November) could answer that question.
“If Imran Khan is assassinated, Pakistan will be thrown into chaos, as happened after the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto,” he said.
“There are credible reports that Mr Khan may have been targeted by snipers en route to court, and these can be corroborated from law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Khan survived an assassination attempt last November.
After hearing arguments, the judge allowed Khan to record his appearance via video link and extended his bail until May 4 until his arrest, a court official said.
Last month, Lahore police registered Khan and hundreds of his party members in three terrorism cases to arrest him in the Toshakhana case during clashes with police.
Khan has been in the crosshairs of buying gifts, including expensive Graff watches he received as prime minister at a discount from a state depository institution called Toshakhana, and selling them at a profit.
In October last year, he was disqualified by Pakistan’s Election Commission for not disclosing details of the sale.
The electoral body later filed a case in a district court seeking to punish him under the penal code for selling gifts he received as the country’s prime minister.
Khan vehemently denies the allegations.
Another case was related to the killing of a PTI worker and Khan was registered for attempted murder.
Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, now faces more than 140 charges against him, including treason, terrorism, murder, attempted murder, blasphemy and other charges.
Khan was ousted last April after losing a no-confidence vote he claimed was part of a US-led plot against him because of his independence in foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
Since being ousted, he has called for early elections to overthrow what he calls an “imported government” led by Prime Minister Sheikh Baz Sharif.
Sharif has insisted that elections will be held later this year once parliament completes its five-year term.
